To Be Taught
by FakeBaconFryer
Summary: Bella's previous teacher wasn't a very good instructor, so, with the help of her class, ran her off. Now she has a new teacher. A Mr. Mason. She decides to give him a chance before ruining his career too. :
1. Preface

I made my old teacher quit her job.

She couldn't stand it anymore.

Not that I blame her.

I made her work life living hell.

But I had my reasons.

She was an incompetent teacher and I didn't want her to teach me shit I knew wasn't right or didn't need.

She had to quit.

I eventually broke her. Drove her insane until she finally faced the fact that she would never teach my class.

My class.

Ha.

Well they are. They follow my rule and come to me for help with lessons. Even as their peer I taught them.

But I digress

She quit and now we're being assigned a new teacher.

I saw her name once. Mason I think.

I hope she's better than Mrs. Knowles.

I don't feel like running another circus to get a new teacher again.

I mean, how hard could it be to find one teacher to teach 11th grade literacy the right way?


	2. New Day

A new day.

A new teacher.

She's supposed to be starting today.

I hope she's adequate.

I'm looking forward to a nice calm second semester.

I walked into the class, my bag hanging off my shoulder and resting on my hip. Usual. I was the first student here this morning. Usual. The classroom decor was plain, bland. Usual.

But what was unusual was the fact that there was a very cute, young man sitting behind the desk with a nameplate reading Mr. Mason.

A man teacher?

How interesting.

He seemed to be about twenty-seven, tall, very handsome, with amazingly bronze hair.

Very interesting.

I stated to consider the option of letting him stay even if he couldn't teach just so I could look at him daily.

But dashed the idea before it could take root. I needed to learn to get into U of C.

I sat down quietly as he silently reading his book.

Jane Austin, my hopes rose.

I continued my evaluation as other students filed in and the room got more crowded. Nobody said a word. They were waiting for my decision.

Mr. Mason didn't notice.

The silence remained until the bell rang.

He slowly put down his book and turned to write his name on the board.

"This class has a terrible reputation." He announced as he turned to look back at us. All eyes were on him besides the occasional glance my way. "I hope it was all an exaggeration."

_You wish_, I knew the entire class was thinking to themselves.

"No class of normal 11th graders could be so terrible." He stated.

Why did it have to be the entire class? Why not just one bad seed?

"But other than that, I'm Mr. Mason. I'll be your literacy teacher from now until the end of this school year. I expect the best behavior from you, or you will sincerely regret it."

I raised a brow. He might prove to be of use. But then again, he may be all bark and no bite.

We'll see.

"Now, as a way of getting to know you, I want to try something very elementary. I want to go around the class and each of you to tell me your name and one thing about

you."

Nobody said anything. They were still watching him. A few of the worry students looked my way, the question in their eyes. I waved them away with a flick of my wrist.

The movement caught dear Mr. Mason's eye. He glanced my way, then turned back to a good friend of mine.

"Why don't you start us off?" He asked.

Mike openly turned to me.

I studied his gaze for a moment before shifting my eyes to Mr. Mason. He was looking at me with curiosity.

I decided to give him a chance.

I nodded to Mike.

He turned back around and cleared his throat. "My name's Mike and I'm very loyal."

I smirked to myself. That he is.

The class continued with their names and one silly facts until they got to me.

"My name's Bella, and I'm very….persuasive."

The class allowed a secret smile. The knew that was the whole reason dear Mr. Mason was here.

When the class was done introducing themselves Mr. Mason proceeded to give us a lesson on sentence formation. And when he was done with explaining that, he assigned homework.

The class held its breath and turned to me.

Do we have to? They asked.

I looked straight ahead, not looking at anyone.

He took the chance to get to know us, he actually put heart into the lesson, now he's enforcing our learning.

He might even be worth listening to.

I met eyes with everyone individually. Then shrugged.

Their eyes widened and looked at me in disbelief, only Mike turned and wrote down the assignment.

I noticed Mr. Mason was watching me in wonder. Probably trying to figure out what was going on.

I turned and, like Mike, wrote down the assignment.

The class gave a low grumble, disappointed they couldn't run wild all over the yummy new teacher, but wrote down what they were told to, meaning they were going to do it.

I felt eyes on me and glanced up.

The newbie was staring at me in disbelief.

I cocked my head to the side and arched an eyebrow.

"Miss Bella, will you please stay after class with me?" He asked.

Amusement filled the room, even within myself.

"I'm sorry Mr. Mason, but I have track. I have to get there quickly or Coach will chew my hide." I grinned. "Maybe another time?"

"Yes, of course." He replied. "Some time soon I hope."

I smiled politely. "We'll see."


	3. Impressions

I heard her come in.

I smelled her perfume. Floral.

And I could tell, from the way her feet touched the ground, she was respected and she knew it. She was well liked and followed. And, she was going to give me trouble.

I always wanted to teach. Ever since I was a child I loved to learn. But when I was in high school, I discovered I loved to share what I knew rather than just withhold it in myself.

So after high school, I went to college, I studied, and learned. I knew that I could do it, and I would love teaching. And here was my chance.

The school found me out of desperation. The last teacher that taught this class fled. Well, they said she fled, I'm not sure. Who would flee in the middle of the school year? Certainly no professional.

"She claimed the class was terrible, but every substitute, or whenever somebody stepped in they were angels. I don't understand it." The principle had assured me.

"I'm sure I can handle it." I allowed.

But I was truthfully terrified. Even the idea of my first time teaching being a bad class made me want to jump on a plane and head for Mexico. But I stayed and forced myself to get up this morning.

I heard the class file in, but no one said a word. I pretended to be interested in my book, but behind the pages I was giving myself peep talks.

When the bell rang I made myself move. I wrote my name on the board then glanced around the room.

Nobody was paying a lick of attention to me. They pretended to, sure, but they didn't care what I said. They were too busy giving all their attention to a girl who sat at the back of class. The one I knew was the first one to arrive.

The ringleader. The one I need on my side.

I put a routine up for discussion. "Now, as a way of getting to know you, I want to try something very elementary. I want to go around the class and each of you to tell me your name and one thing about you."

I saw a few students turned away from me and actually looked to the girl. She waved them off delicately. I turned my gaze her way.

I turned to a student on the front row. "Why don't you start us off?"

To my amazement he turned away from me. And looked to the girl in the back.

She nodded to him, granting her permission and approval. I really needed her to agree on what I did. Without her I couldn't teach this class a thing.

"My name's Mike and I am very loyal." He allowed.

Apparently.

The class went around and I discovered I had a class of slackers and followers. Until I got to the ringleader.

"My name's Bella, and I'm very….persuasive." Her soft voice answered.

Bella. A pretty name. But I balked at her description. Persuasive? Now I understood.

After the class introduced themselves I gave a lesson on sentence structure and then gave a homework assignment.

Nobody groaned or gave a single complaint. She was at it again.

When I glanced up everyone was looking at her, but she wasn't looking at them. She was studying me, deciding if I was worth the work. She then locked eyes with everyone else in the room and shrugged.

She accepted my teaching. My heart flew. At least for now I could teach this class all I knew and maybe that means I could teach at this school for at least a little while, and that means I could get myself known in the teaching community, and that mean-

I had to stop myself before I got too far ahead. I had to calm down and think about what I was doing now.

And what I was doing now was impressing this Bella girl long enough to get on her good side.


	4. Detention

**Hey guys, ummmm so yeah.**

**Sorry for not updating. My life's kinda crazy right now and I'm working hard to get it under control. Sorry for the wait :(**

Detention?! How could _I_ get detention?! It's against the law of nature! I don't deserve it!

I stomped into literature class and nearly threw down my bag. I better get out of this. If I didn't I would make that teacher's life _hell._

"What's wrong?" I heard Mike ask.

I swung to face him. "I've got detention."

His eyes grew huge. "How is that impossible?"

I took my pencil and threw it across the room. "I know! I don't deserve it! I was stating my opinion in a class discussion and the teacher gave me detention!"

"What did you say?" Mike asked.

"We were discussing teaching skill and I said that in my opinion the schools should be more strict in who they hire as staff. I said that some of the teachers here are incompetent and they don't or they're completely unable to teach effectively. She took it the wrong way and thought I was making a slash at her so she gave me detention. And she one of the teachers I could tolerate too!"

Mike blinked. "Wow."

I groaned and kicked a chair. "I will get her to take this off. Do you know how this will look on a record?"

"Bad?" he asked.

"Mike! Are you listening?! I've got detention! How do I get out of it?!" I asked frantically.

"Bella, you know I love you and all, so don't take this the wrong way, but maybe you should just accept it."

"What?! Detention?! Accept it?! I do not deserve this! It's stupid that I even have it! I'm tired of all this shit happening in this school! Maybe I should just move in with my aunt!"

"I hope you don't leave Miss Swan. Without you everything would just be so normal. And nobody wants that now do we?"

I whipped around to see Mr. Cullen walk into his classroom.

"Mr. C!" Mike cried. "How's it going?"

"Mr. Newton." He nodded. "And its been going great until I heard Miss Swan rant about the detention she received. Doesn't sound like you."

"It isn't me. It's an overdramatic teacher who likes attention and gets it by taking out her frustrations on whoever sets her off first. She made an unnecessary example out of me and I won't be punished for it." I made a point at jabbing my finger in my own hand.

Mr. Cullen raised a brow. "You feel very strongly about this." He stated.

I cocked a hip. "You think I shouldn't?" Nobody answered. "I am seconds away from bobbing my head and waving my finger in your face if you don't answer my question they way I want you to answer them." I said mainly to Mike.

Mike smiled. "Bella of course I think you shouldn't be punished for something you didn't do. Stick it to the man Bells!"

Mr. Cullen leaned against a desk and smirked. "Insubordination is a really big offense."

"Insubordination? I'm taking this to the main office and if they don't hear me out then I'll just go to some higher office. I'm not letting this die here. And I'm not serving for the stupid thing. I'll be the biggest bitch this school board has ever seen but I won't back down." I gasped, out of breath.

Both of their eyes opened wide. Mike started motioning with his hands to stop, but Mr. Cullen just nodded.

"Miss Swan, why are you taking this so personally?" He asked.

I sighed. "Because if I have a detention on my record it'll lower my chances of getting into college! My family can't afford to send me off like most families can so I have to work to get it done myself. And with one detention on my record will hurt me." I took a breath. "I really want to go to college, more than anything in the world. I don't know what I'm going to do but I don't want to be stuck here for the rest of my life."

None of us were able to say anything else before a wave of classmates came in and interrupted our conversation. Mike and I seated ourselves in our usual places and let Mr. Cullen take over the class.

He gave us notes about something or another and told us how to do the worksheet he was passing out.

When I was confident with my ability to do the assignment I allowed myself to drift off in my thoughts.

Mr. Cullen was an interesting teacher. He allowed me to babble on about something seemingly petty and even contributed to the conversation. I focused my thoughts on trying to decipher his actions.

My eyes drifted upwards to him and I caught sight of his strong jaw…

Wow…

Not only his jaw but his Adam's Apple and green eyes…

How did I not see his masculine beauty before? Especially when it was right in front of me.

He laid a paper on my desk and I saw his rough hands and I was struck with a memory of my mother explaining a man's hands to me.

"If a man has smooth hands that means he doesn't know how to do an honest day's work. But men with rough hands like…your father's, then you now you can trust him to bring in his own pay…"

My eyes opened wide and I whipped around to watch him continue down the isle, still handing out papers.

A warm feeling crawled into my tummy.

Oh shit…

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**I hope it was worth the wait guys. I'll try to get the next chapter up soon. Please be patient.**


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